AXE of VIOLENCE
Real Name: Lizabeth Andrew"Lizzie" Borden
Identity/Class: Deceased, soul-enhanced by magic
Occupation: Agent of Satannish
Group Membership: Lethal Legion
Affiliations: Satannish, Hangman (field director);
former possession of Mephisto
Enemies: Avengers West Coast (Hawkeye, Mockingbird/H'rpra, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman, US Agent, War Machine), Mephisto;
(as Lizzie) her family
Known Relatives: Andrew (father,deceased), Sara (mother,deceased), Abby (step-mother, deceased), John Morse (maternal uncle, deceased), Emma (sister,deceased)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Satannish's hell,
formerly Mephisto's Hell;
formerly Fall River, Massachusetts @ 1892
First Appearance: Avengers West Coast#98 (September 1993)
Powers: Borden's physical abilities were all enhanced by Satannish. Her right hand was replaced by two-sided axe. She also used other two-sided axes as throwing weapons. Her powers could be augmented or drained by Satannish as he saw fit
History: (Historical/AWC#99(fb)) - Lizzie Borden was born in 1860 and was still a small child when her mother passed away. Her father subsequently remarried again, but Lizzie never accepted this woman and considered her a rival for her father's attentions. When she was 32, she stood trial for the murders of her father and step-mother and was acquitted of all charges. Declared guilty in the eyes of the public, she became a recluse and was never seen again until her death in 1927.
(AWC#100 (fb) - BTS) - After her death she was consigned to Hell, specifically a branch controlled by the demon Mephisto.
(AWC#98) - Another demon, Satannish, stole her soul, along with three others to create his Lethal Legion in effort to gain revenge on the Avengers West Coast for their previous defeat of him. Satannish imbued her with power, transforming her into Axe of Violence, and promised her and her allies they could return to true life if they could bring him the souls of the Avengers West. Lizzie participated in the brutal beating of US Agent.
(AWC#99) - Lizzie personally slew Stella Houston, former lover of Hangman and then fled from Spider-Woman and War Machine. This was a diversion to allow other Legion members to abduct Mockingbird. She returned with them to Satannish's realm.
(AWC#100) - As Satannish had planned this drew the Avengers to his realm, where the Legion and Hangman defeated them. However, Mephisto had sneaked into Satannish's realm within the form of Hawkeye, and attacked Satannish, demanding the stolen souls back. Lizzie and the other members had their powers drained by Satannish to return himself to full power to battle Mephisto. Powerless, they were easily rounded up by the Avengers. However, Lizzie and the rest of the Legion had the souls destroyed as both Mephisto and Satannish struggled to obtain them.
Comments: Created/Adapted by Roy Thomas and David Ross.
I think either Mephisto or Satannish could have duped the other and hidden the souls somewhere for future use.
Lizzie Borden was more of an unattractive plain jane with mousy strawberry blonde hair than the platinum blonde beauty Marvel has depicted. On the other hand, Satannish may have transformed her into the Marilyn Monroe-type we see.
"Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave
her mother forty whacks,
When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one"
Contrary to the rhyme, Lizzi's step-mother received 18 blows,
mostly to the head. Her father received 13 to the head, chest and
arm.
Lizzie's ancestors were relatives of the founders of the Borden Milk Company. Their descendants include Sir Winston Churchill !!
I'm not sure if anyone here is an afficianado of true crime
stories like I am, but I thought this was interesting. Lizzie Borden is a
descendant of James Cornell, who in the 17th century also committed matricide by
killing his mother. Cornell would have gotten away with it, but the spirit of
his mother appeared to her brother and James's uncle took him to trail. James's
daughter, Innocent Cornell (a name that defines irony) married Richard Borden,
Lizzie's ancestor. I confirmed the genealogy for myself at www.ancestry.com.
--Will U
A name like Innocent was typical of the Purtains at that time. Look
through some of the baptismal records of the time and you'll find names that, to
modern eyes, are equally ironic, like Faith, Hope, and Charity for girls, and
Perseverance for boys.
--Chris
The Borden House where the murders took place
still exists to this day. It's now a bed and breakfast open to
the public. The owners insist that the ghosts of Andrew and Abby
still walk the halls. (Marvel's inspiration for
the story ?)
Lizzy Andrew Borden: She was acquitted for the crime of manslaughter of her father and stepmother, and the murder's true identity remains unknown. The idea that she was the killer is in lack of evidence, more a urban legend.
--Valerio Pastore
Axe of Violence is a cool villainess. She make a great villainess for Daredevil or the Punisher if she were restored to life.
All my notes listed her as "Axe of Vengeance." Jim Sharpe pointed out the error, based on info from Jacob (Proto-Man).
Almost all of the historical information in contributed by William Uchtman.
Clarifications:
No known connection to:
images: (without ads)
Avengers West Coast#99, p8, pan1-3 (main image)
Appearances:
Avengers West Coast#98-100 (September-November, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Dave Ross (pencils), Tim Dzon (inks), Nel Yomtov (editor)
Last updated: 05/26/12
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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